At Narooma, they refer to Bermagui as that "fishing village" down the coast.
Bermagui is, in fact, a fishing village with a population just over a thousand. "Big town" Narooma has a population of around 3500.
383 kilometres south of Sydney
Bermagui is 383 kilometres south of Sydney and 34 kilometres south of Narooma.
Narooma is on the Eurobodalla Coast. Bermagui is on the Sapphire Coast.
Zane Grey was here
What Bermagui has over Narooma is the fact that American western writer Zane Grey stayed — and fished — here.
As with most towns along the New South Wales South Coast, fishing is a major recreational activity, particularly with fishing charters.
You will hear of people talking about fishing — and about the ones that got away — in Mollymook, Ulladulla, Batemans Bay, Moruya, Narooma, Bermagui. These are fishing towns all along the South Coast.
Tiger shark and yellowfin tuna
Zane Grey used methods and tackle then unknown to most Australian anglers. He caught a 460-kilogram (1035-pound) tiger shark in 1936 which was the largest fish in the world at the time to have been captured using a rod and reel.
In Australia the same year, he caught the first yellowfin tuna (40 kilograms, or 91pounds) ever found in southern New South Wales waters.
Large fishing fleet
Bermagui's man-made harbour is home to a large commercial fishing fleet as well as boats for game fishing, a number of them available for hire.
And if you tire of fishing (as if fishermen do), there's also golf and scuba diving if these interest you.
Next page: Fishing Coast Fast Facts
